Look: I am eager to learn stuff I don't know--which requires actively courting and posting smart disagreement.

But as you will understand, I don't like to post things that mischaracterize and are aimed to mislead.

-- Brad Delong

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Everything that appears on this blog is the copyrighted property of somebody. Often, but not always, that somebody is me. For things that are not mine, I either have obtained permission, or claim fair use. Feel free to quote me, but attribute, please. My photos and poetry are dear to my heart, and may not be used without permission. Ditto, my other intellectual property, such as charts and graphs. I'm probably willing to share. Let's talk. Violators will be damned for all eternity to the circle of hell populated by Rosanne Barr, Mrs Miller [look her up], and trombonists who are unable play in tune. You cannot possibly imagine the agony. If you have a question, email me: jazzbumpa@gmail.com. I'll answer when I feel like it. Cheers!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Wednesday Poetry Blogging

Thus begins the Jazzbumpa October fest of demented sonnets.  This one is odd, the others are even weirder.

The captured maiden, monster, rescuing hero trope is as old as story telling.  One common variation derived from European folk-lore has a princess and a dragon in the starring roles.  This has become a fantasy cliche over the last few decades, eventually leading to creative alternate approaches, such as in the movie SHREK.  I've written a couple of stories that play with the idea, and this poem, which I think takes an original approach.  I hope you enjoy it.

    IN PRAYER SHE CONTEMPLATES

Far from her home, sequestered in a cave
In dampness, gloom and foul lizard's filth
With golden chains that mock a kingdom's wealth,
She waits the coming of the knight or knave --
 
The fool who'd face the flame and fang to save 
A royal maiden from this monstrous death.
The fool arrives.  To scale and scalding breath
He shouts his dare.  Could one so wild and brave
 
Be any but a lout?  No doubt he'd clench
A princess as he would some low-born wench.
Is lance of knight or fang of worm to be
The one to test her vain virginity?
 
Reposed in prayer she contemplates her sins,
Then spies her knight, and prays the dragon wins.

Copyright Jazzbumpa.  All rights reserved.
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1 comment:

J said...

Interesting. I appreciate skilled poesy to some extent (prefer prose), but not so fond of sonnets--so Anglo-ish.

EA Poe a fave. Some Shelley & Coleridge. Steven Crane wrote some interesting verse. Robinson Jeffers. ...Ez Pound (tho' he can be fairly pretentious). UN poco poesia de espanol--Dario--Neruda --though Pablito's politics a bit intense for gringos. Poet I am not however--

October 10, 2009 at 9:52 PM

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